The Foxes showed no signs of a European hangover following their epic win over Sevilla, and although they may have a quarter-final meeting with Atletico Madrid on their minds Shakespeare knows they still need to get their domestic affairs in order.

Fortunately they faced a West Ham side playing as though they just want their 'historic' first season at their new stadium to end as quickly as possible.

Manuel Lanzini briefly halved the deficit with a free-kick but they were booed off at half-time, and although Andre Ayew pulled another back after the break Leicester repelled a late rally to claim all three points.

Vardy could have added a fourth after the break when he raced on to Mahrez's through-ball and lobbed Darren Randolph, only to clear the crossbar as well.

Instead West Ham pulled another back after Kasper Schmeichel got a hand to a Lanzini free-kick which was not on target, and instantly regretted it as from the corner Carroll's header was turned in by Ayew.

The suddenly re-energised Hammers poured forward but Schmeichel clawed out Carroll's header, Ayew skied a glorious chance and Cheikhou Kouyate's shot was blocked on the line.

And in stoppage time Schmeichel made a stunning point-blank save to deny Carroll as Leicester held out to take another big step away from relegation trouble, and continue to prove there is life in the champions yet.